April 1/11 9:02 am - 2012 Giro to Start in Denmark

Posted by Editoress on 04/1/11

Giro d'Italia race organizer RCS announced today that the Giro will start in Denmark in 2012.

Denmark will be hosting the first three stages of the Giro d'Italia 2012, as the Corsa Rosa will begin its route on Saturday, May 5th with an individual time-trial starting and finishing in Herning, in the middle of Jutland. Herning will also host the second stage, a mass-start race of nearly 200 kilometres the next day. The third stage will also be a road racing stage of nearly 200 kilometres, starting and finishing in the city of Horsens in south-east Jutland.

This is the tenth time that the Giro d'Italia starts in a non-Italian location. Last year Amsterdam hosted a magnificent opening of the long race, which was won in the end by Ivan Basso. Previously, the Corsa Rosa had started from San Marino Republic in 1965, from Monaco Monte-Carlo in 1966, from Verviers (Belgium) in 1973, from The Vatican in 1974, from Athens in 1996, from Nice (France) in 1998, from Groningen (The Netherlands) in 2002 and from Seraing (Belgium) in 2006.

Today, at the press conference held after the signing ceremony of the covenant between RCS Sport-La Gazzetta dello Sport and the Danish authorities, RCS Sport CEO Giacomo Catano emphasised the importance of the agreement in terms of mutual advantages: "At RCS Sport we are impressed by the commitment and professional approach that the Danish authorities have displayed while creating and presenting the project to host the Giro d'Italia in their Country. In turn, RCS Sport will put maximum effort in providing value and visibility to the grand opening in Denmark to more than 300 million fans of the Giro all over the world. It is an opportunity that we are pleased to offer to this wonderful country and its charming people, to showcase their well-known tolerant and hospitable lifestyle. Our claim will be: 'The toughest race in world's most beautiful place meets the happiest people in the world!' "

Herning and Horsens are excited about a visit from the Giro d'Italia in 2012: "We share a strong tradition for cycling and are experienced in handling large, international events and we look forward to the challenge and to giving the Italians a perfect start of the race in 2012," said the Mayors of Herning and Horsens, Lars Krarup and Jan Trøjborg.